Portia K. Nowels (Wasson), the daughter of Lloyd R. Wasson and Mildred L. (Hartman) Wasson was born December 10, 1946 in Burlington, Iowa. She graduated from Burlington High School in 1965, was a graduate of American Institution of Business in Des Moines, Iowa, and earned a Certificate for Medical Insurance and Coding by attending Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa. In the early 1980s, Portia helped establish the Iowa Chapter Lupus Foundation and was the past president for this Iowa Chapter. She volunteered her services by organizing support groups throughout Iowa for Lupus patients and family members. Portia enjoyed volunteering in the community, sewing, gardening, playing cards, spending time with family and friends and enjoys the outdoors.
Portia passed away at the age of 74 on November 25, 2021 at her home in Slater, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her parents, and an infant daughter, Shayla Marie Hoenig.
Family members left to honor Portia's memory are her husband Jerry, of Slater, Iowa; daughter Tiffany (Matt) Conrad, of Boone, Iowa; Stepdaughter Erica (Jeff) Pardue of Denver, Colorado; Stepson Nate (Bonnie) Nowels of Ankeny, Iowa; sisters Stacia (Ward) Olsen of Green Valley, AZ and Marsha (Avery) McClellan of Everett, WA; Two grandchildren, Bryon and Alexa of Boone, Iowa; and her special fur-baby Larry.
